In a computer data storage system which provides data storage and retrieval services, an example of a copy-on-write file system is a Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL™) file system available from NetApp, Inc. The data storage system may implement a storage operating system to functionally organize network and data access services of the system, and implement the file system to organize data being stored and retrieved. Contrasted with a write-in-place file system, a copy-on-write file system writes new data to a new block in a new location, leaving the older version of the data in place (at least for a time). In this manner, a copy-on-write file system has the concept of data versions built in, and old versions of data can be saved quite conveniently.
Some data structures used to represent files in a file system may not allow for optimal efficiency in conducting parallel operations on a file (e.g., read, write, insert, delete, etc.). For example, performing one operation on one part of the file may prevent other operations from being performed on a different part of the file. Some data structures used to represent files may include an excess of metadata associated with a file (e.g., a high metadata to data ratio). Real world data storage systems are limited by available space. Thus, it may be better to represent files in a file system using data structures that allow for more optimal efficiency in conducting parallel operations and for a more optimal metadata to data ratio.